Have you taken the SSRI antidepressant Zoloft (Sertraline) to help with your depression? Millions of people have taken this antidepressant and many have had success with managing depressive symptoms. However, since the drug doesn’t work for everyone and/or individuals may not want to be on an antidepressant for life, they eventually decide to come off of the drug. Withdrawal from an SSRI (selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor) can be much more difficult than most psychiatrists think.
If you do not know what symptoms to expect, they may catch you off guard and your entire reality may get shook up. For many people, SSRI withdrawal is among the most difficult emotional experiences they will ever have to go through in their lives. For me personally, my withdrawal from Paxil was arguably the toughest thing I’ve ever experienced. It can be very difficult to deal with increased suicidal thoughts, dizziness, fatigue, and all of the withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal may push you to your mental limits – most people would describe it as experiencing “hell on Earth.”
Factors that may influence Zoloft withdrawal:
Many people do not understand why different people have an easier time withdrawing from Zoloft, yet other people struggle. There are various factors that play an important role in determining your recovery time. Although doctors don’t explain this to you, the time span (how long you took your medication), the dosage, your individual physiology, and whether you quit cold turkey vs. conducting a taper – will all play a role in influencing withdrawal. Keep these things in mind as you come off of Zoloft.
1. Time Span
How long did you take Zoloft? Was it for a few months just to get over a depressive bout? Or have you been taking it for years to help treat major depression? In general, it is assumed that the longer you take a certain medication, the more difficult it is going to be to withdraw from it. The shorter duration that you took Zoloft, the easier it should be (in theory) to withdraw from.
2. Dosage (50 mg to 200 mg)
How much Zoloft were you taking? Most people take anywhere from 50 mg to 200 mg per day of this drug. 50 mg is regarded as being the therapeutic level of dose. If you were on a lower dose, it theoretically should be easier to come off of the drug than someone who was taking the maximum prescribed daily dose of 200 mg.
If you were on a larger dose for a longer period of time, it is going to take much more time to taper off of the medication and deal with the withdrawal symptoms than someone who was on it for a shorter period of time at the minimal dose.
3. Physiology
Individual physiology plays a role in determining how fast you recover from withdrawal. If you are pretty resistant to withdrawals from medications, you may not experience many symptoms at all. For some people, the withdrawal process is pretty easy and simple. For other people, the entire process can be a total nightmare. Other individual factors that play a role include: environment, social support, diet, and exercise.
4. Cold turkey vs. tapering
All antidepressant medications should be withdrawn from in a “tapering” manner to help ease withdrawal symptoms. Quitting cold turkey is not advised and may end up doing more harm than good. With a medication like Zoloft, it is better to gradually decrease your dosage over a period of weeks and/or months so that it gives your brain time to readjust itself.
If you quit “cold turkey” with no taper, you are essentially leaving your brain in a state of chaos. It is expecting to be fed a drug, and since it isn’t getting the drug, it is going crazy trying to make up for the lack of serotonin. In order to minimize withdrawal symptoms, it is highly important to do a slow taper from Zoloft.
Note: Most people retain the active ingredient “Sertraline” for up to 6 days and its metabolite desmethylsertraline for over 2 weeks after stopping. As a result, symptoms may emerge with increased severity within 1-3 weeks after stopping.
Zoloft Withdrawal Symptoms: Extensive List
There are an array of symptoms that you may experience upon discontinuation of Zoloft. Although you may not experience all of the symptoms that are listed below, it is likely that you will experience some. It is important to understand that these withdrawal symptoms are normal and that you are not going totally crazy. When discontinuing any SSRI antidepressant, you may experience very severe symptoms.
- Anger: Some people experience extreme anger and/or rage at very minor things. Little things may really “set you off” and during the withdrawal, you may have a short fuse. Some people may get angry at the fact that they feel as if they cannot function.
- Anxiety: Since Zoloft is known to help with both anxiety and depression, coming off of it may increase anxiety to an extreme. While you are on the medication, it is inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin. When you come off of it, there is no reuptake inhibition so you are left with decreased serotonin which may make you extremely anxious.
- Brain zaps: Some people experience a phenomenon known as “brain zaps.” This makes people feel as though they are getting electrically shocked or “zapped” in the brain by an electrical current. These may last awhile, but they will eventually subside as your brain readjusts itself to functioning without the drug.
- Confusion: Cognition may be impaired to the point that a person may get confused. Confusion is a common withdrawal symptom along with memory issues. It is especially common if you stopped taking Zoloft “cold turkey.”
- Cramps: It is very common to get cramps – especially in the abdominal area. You may notice stomach cramps and/or other cramps throughout your body as well. These should go away within a couple of weeks.
- Crying spells: Many people experience such sadness upon medication withdrawal that they cry a lot. This is a result of significant emotional pain and the person trying to cope with how they are feeling. It is very normal to cry a lot during the withdrawal process.
- Decreased appetite: For most people, SSRI medications tend to result in an increased appetite. Zoloft may have worked great at helping you eat and/or may have even caused weight gain. When coming off the medication, you may feel like not eating for awhile. Part of this appetite decrease may be a result of increased depression.
- Depression: Your depression may be worse while withdrawing from Zoloft than before you even started taking the medication. This has to do with your serotonin levels being thrown out of balance as a result of the drug.
- Depersonalization: It is common to feel unlike yourself and/or depersonalized. You may wonder if you are ever going to feel like your “normal” self again. Depersonalization may make you feel numb, like a zombie, or like an alien has taken over your body. This is just your brain chemistry trying to adapt itself to the withdrawal.
- Dizziness: Some people report feelings of dizziness for weeks, and in some cases, months after quitting Zoloft. The first couple weeks tend to be the worst in regards to dizziness. You may feel drunk and/or like you have no control over how you are feeling. This is part of drug withdrawal that you should know about.
- Fatigue: Coming off of an antidepressant may make you feel as though you have chronic fatigue syndrome – that’s how extreme the fatigue is. You may be unable to work out, and may have difficulty just getting through the day. Each step you take may seem as though it’s in slow motion – you just don’t have the energy to work quickly.
- Flu-like symptoms: For some people the withdrawal feels like they have gotten the flu. They may feel nauseous, achy, bedridden, and be unable to eat. In some cases they may even vomit if the nausea is severe. These extreme symptoms tend to go away after the first couple of weeks.
- Headaches: A person may feel as though they have a never-ending headache when coming off of Zoloft. This is because their brain is trying to figure out how to react without the drug to stimulate activity. The headaches in combination with the dizziness can make life difficult for awhile.
- Insomnia: Certain individuals sleep for extended periods of time during withdrawal, while others are so anxious and/or stressed that they are unable to sleep at all. They may stay up well into the night and be so depressed and/or anxious that they cannot sleep.
- Irritability: Little things may really irritate a person that is withdrawing from Zoloft. They may seem irritable during socialization and may have no desire to be around others. The irritability may build up to an extreme and they may act out with aggression.
- Memory loss: It has been reported that some people experience memory loss while withdrawing from Zoloft. I experienced this symptom when coming off of a different medication. Just know that although your memory may be lacking right now, it will eventually return to normal – it may take longer than you think though.
- Mood swings: It is very common to experience mood swings. One minute you might feel as if you are doing okay with the withdrawal, the next minute you may feel extremely depressed. Another minute you may feel extremely angry. Know that the mood swings are associated with your brain trying to readjust itself.
- Panic attacks: Due to the fact that your serotonin system is dealing with an even greater imbalance upon withdrawal, you may experience sheer panic. This is because the anxiety and stress may feel overwhelming. You are not accustomed to dealing with the way you feel coming off of a medication.
- Poor concentration: If you feel like your concentration is lacking for school and/or work-related tasks, you are right. Many people report being unable to function after withdrawing from an SSRI. Some people have had to quit their jobs because they were unable to concentrate following their withdrawal. This will eventually return to normal.
- Sleepiness: Certain people may just feel like sleeping for hours on end. This is because their brain is attempting to stabilize itself without the medication and work out the chemical imbalance that has been created. You may feel extremely sleepy and/or drowsy with no energy while withdrawing – especially in the early stages.
- Suicidal thoughts: Some people experience worsened depression while coming off of SSRI’s than they did before they first started. Most of these medications have a warning that while on them you may experience suicidal thoughts. These thoughts can increase tenfold when trying to withdraw.
- Weakness: Your mind and body have been accustomed to a certain drug for an extended period of time. When coming off of it, it is common to experience weakness in your muscles and joints. Since you may feel weak and have no energy, it can make life very difficult.
Zoloft Withdrawal Duration: How Long Does It Last?
There is no clear cut answer here for how long Zoloft withdrawal is going to last. The drug itself will be out of your body in relatively short order, but making a full recovery back to normal body and brain functioning may take an extended period of time. As a general rule of thumb, I suggest that you assume that the readjustment period will last at least 3 months and/or 90 days. Although I have taken Zoloft in my past, I hadn’t been on it long enough to experience a major withdrawal.
Other people have had withdrawals so bad that they have filed lawsuits against the manufacturer of the drug. Perhaps the most important thing you can do for yourself during withdrawal is engage in healthy activities. Make sure you are eating healthy, exercising, getting outside, socializing with friends and/or family, and doing the best you can at work or school. Eventually the symptoms will subside and you will fully recover from Zoloft withdrawal.
Understand that upon complete cessation of the drug, Zoloft stays in your system for between 11 and 12 days, with its metabolite “Desmethylsertraline” remaining for an average of 30.25 days. Variations in individual metabolism could dictate when the withdrawal symptoms become noticeable and/or most severe. Just realize that the process takes time and you should not expect to be 100% improved overnight – it will likely take weeks and/or months. If you recover sooner than three months – more power to you.
I decided to go off Zoloft myself and I know that’s irresponsible. It’s just that doctors have never been very supportive. I did not taper anywhere near as slowly as I should have done. I went from 100 to 50mg and then to nothing at all. Thing is, I thought I was doing ok with it. It’s been 2 months since my last dose (I was on it 2 years and 20 years on Prozac before that).
My major problem is the mood swings, but I’ve experienced most all of the symptoms listed here. I was relieved to know that brain zaps were normal and the appetite/nausea/etc. Those were the most bothersome because I didn’t associate the eating problems with it and well… brain zaps are just disturbing. What’s weird is, I will feel relatively normal for a week or so and then *bam* the withdrawals come back.
I thought I kept getting some sort of flu, but don’t think that’s it at all now. Part of me wonders if I shouldn’t go back to 25mg for a time and then slowly cut that down. Then again, it’s been 2 months and if I’m close to the finish line – perhaps I should stick it out. It’s just been particularly hard this week. I simply don’t feel right. I don’t know of a better way to put it.
I’m having horrible problems with concentration, anger, and I can not sleep. Even an Ambien will only put me down for 4 hours. I was never diagnosed as being bipolar in the past, but the sleeplessness bothers me as I know that’s a symptom. I want to come off of Ambien and Klonopin as well, but right now I seem to be relying more heavily on them instead of less. I usually take less Klonopin than prescribed, but lately have been taking my full PRN dose each day.
I know I’m just creating a new problem that I’ll have to deal with. I just don’t know what to do. I have an appointment with my psychiatrist this week. I know I should tell him about what I’ve done, but I’m ashamed and I’m also afraid of him poo poo’ing my concerns. I just can’t stand the sexual side effects anymore and I don’t want to be tied to a drug for the rest of my life if it isn’t absolutely necessary.
There are more and more disturbing reports about long term effects coming out as well as effects on fetus development. I was hoping to get pregnant, which was my major impetus for quitting. Thanks for listening and I wish everyone luck.
I decided to go cold turkey after 2 years on Zoloft 100mg a day. Wish I had seen this post first. It is now Day 21 and things are getting better but still want to at times pull my head like a Barbie doll and blow the fuzzies out. The dizziness is much improved but I am still forgetful and ditzy some of the time. Very impatient, my poor kids and hubby cop my grumpiness.
Fatigue was a biggggg problem early on but much improved. Just had enough of the tablets and wanted to see how I would go. So far so good. Better to taper withdrawal I think but I am rather impatient anyway. Hang in there guys, it gets easier. Thanks for the great info Gloom.
Withdrawing from Zoloft 200 mg. I am reducing 25mg per fortnight, tedious but so far not bad. A bit irritable, can’t sleep really well and a bit nauseous but that is all so far. I am down to 125mg. Oh, and some mild brain zaps. My recommendation is take it steady. My doctor is supporting me.
Hi, I’m 27 years old. I started taking zoloft around one year and 8 months ago. I was suffering from panic & anxiety disorders + some depression, turned out to be pure OCD. The panic attacks were really bad, I couldn’t work, drive, nothing for a good period of time. Eventually, on medication I was feeling better and was able to get back to my “normal life” one step at a time. I was taking 150mg zoloft +2 to 3 mg of xanax per day.
Happens that after 8 months or so on medication I wasn’t feeling good at all, It seems that the medication helped me with the symptoms for a while but then it started to take everything away from me, I was a walking zombie, no libido, sexual dysfunction, no emotions, pain all over my body, paranoid, I thought I was going to die! or hurt myself or somebody. The dose was adjusted by the doctor but I definitely didn’t want to take it anymore.
I tapered xanax down and withdraw from it (it wasn’t that bad), then I tried to do the same thing with zoloft. OMG!!! The symptoms were terrible! besides the fact that I was already felling bad, I started to feel worse than ever!!! and I was tapering it down slowly (as recommended by the doc). I had to go back to my original dose again. Long story short, I did the same thing 3 times and failed.
I was even feeling bad about the fact that I couldn’t get off of it and that I was condemned to this for the rest of my life. I was going out of my mind!!! I tried to leave the meds again but this time I did it with nanotechnology colloidal silver (it really helps!!!), it helps by cleaning your body and equilibrates everything that is “not working” in your nervous system + one million other good things for your health!
I was amazed on how good it was WOW. It’s bad, sad and funny how most doctors don’t like anything natural for you! Right now I’ve been off the medication for almost 2 months and recently just started to feel a bit of panic again, way less than before but it’s also part of the healing process (at least I can realize about it and I’m not going totally out of my mind as before). I’m also taking St. John’s Wort, it helps with the depression.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to get off the meds for good, keep the natural ones and achieve what everyone on this situation wants, to be happy and all the other good things that come along with it!!! This was my experience (total nightmare). But it doesn’t mean that it has to be that way for everyone on this medication, I’ve known people on zoloft that are doing “good”. I hope this really helps for everyone! Best wishes and good luck.
I was diagnosed with “underlying depression” that caused panic attacks in 1990 (age 30) I have been taking Zoloft (100mg) ever since. I have tried several times to discontinue use of Zoloft. I have found that for me, it will never become a reality. The “brain zaps” are so severe that I can never be free of this poison again. Just simply moving my eyes from left to right or turning my head will sends a series of electrical shocks throughout my body.
It’s also accompanied by usually 3 tweets in my ears. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. Zoloft keeps me free of depression and anxiety attacks, but at the same time it has made me forever dependent. Everybody is different. This is just a warning to anyone that may be prescribed Zoloft. My experience is real and it could happen to you. Happy trails, my friends.
I am a 16 year old female currently living with major depression & anxiety. I was diagnosed and put on Zoloft about a year ago, taking 200mg every morning. I suddenly decided I would stop taking it the day after Christmas & am currently on my 11th day of the withdrawl symptoms. I felt as though the medication wasn’t helping in the way I wanted it to, so I decided to try without.
I have honestly never been in such a position where I have felt so uncomfortable in my own skin, the symptoms I have read above could not be more accurate. I have and still am experiencing every single one of the above listed symptoms. Though, I have definitely found comfort in knowing that I am not alone. But I am curious as to how long it’s going to last? I don’t know how much more I can take. I literally feel as though my body is slowly shutting down & it’s absolutely awful.
I was told by my doctor and my pharmacist that I could stop taking Zoloft without any problem because I was on such a low dose…they were wrong! I am so dizzy… it’s going on one month now. However, I can’t go back on Zoloft because I need another medication to help with a digestion problem – and those 2 drugs taken concurrently could cause me to have seizures! If I wasn’t paranoid or having anxiety before – I sure am now…lol
Happy 2016 to all. I have been on .25 mg of Zoloft for about 5 years I believe. Possibly 6. It was a higher dosage before, but as I got fatter and fatter I complained louder and louder. My psychiatrist convinced me that not being a wreck was worth not having a libido, gaining weight, and not thinking as quickly as I did once. I trusted him because he was right about so much else.
The ordeal of going through Lamictal is unfathomable to those who are not bipolar. You cannot think. Your entire brain is shut down for rewiring. Faith is all you have. And then in the end you come out calmer but a lot less sharper. It is compromise, compromise. Over time you regain much clarity but never all of it. At least I never did. I had other medications added to Zoloft to stop the weight gain part of it. Then I had other medications add to those to help the sleeping part of it.
I just want it all stop now. All I really require is the Bipolar medication. All the rest was suppose to only be because I was getting accustomed to the idea of being bipolar in the first place – acceptance – and the other stuff that was also happening in my life. I don’t want that crutch. I’ve looked for something positive to read and what I find is pretty horrible. Although this thread started years ago, I read it and I read it and I read it.
When I reached the end of it and saw that people were still writing on it recently it made me very happy. The person who started this thread is a Saint. She really helped me. I read every word and it was inspirational. I feel so much love for her. Stopping is scary but I’m going to do it because my stomach is shot. I can’t eat anything with tomato in it. I can’t eat spicy food. I can’t eat hardly anything. I drink Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar just to feel normal. I know in my heart it is because I’m taking too many pills.
I’m taking pills because I was told to take pills and I don’t want to take them anymore but I’m afraid to quit. I’m terrified and I really don’t have anyone to help that is close. I have pulled in my mother although she is a thousand miles away! (I recently moved 120 miles and need to find an new Psychiatrist so I have no idea of his/her ideas about his but I will assert myself! I will quit now.)
I signed up for an account mainly to say thank you to everyone who has come on and been so positive! You are amazing. I am very grateful this thread was started and so lovingly watered & grown with so many stories – over years. May it continue and help others.
I can relate to 90% of the above symptoms. I’ve ended up going back on tablets as I can’t cope with the withdrawals. Just remember professionals aren’t always right as well. They study their speciality, but in practice, don’t always get it right.
My 16 year old daughter was put on Zoloft over 18 months ago. She/we decided to get her off the medication altogether. She maxed out at 37.5 mg daily. We started to ween her off, each time we started to reduce the dose, I thought I was living with Dr Jekyll and Ms Hyde, she was having all these symptoms. We finally had to stop the tapering and leveled off at 25 mg.
Finally, had to put her on 10 mg Prozac to help supplement the reduction of Zoloft. We finally stopped all medication, now we just have a few symptoms left that should run its course. So lesson learned: Zoloft is not for everyone and have a better understanding to what “Half-life” of meds mean.
Thank you for your article. I’ve been on zoloft for about 20 years. I had suffered severe depression prior. I have tried to get off zoloft for at least the last 5 years. Tapering has never worked and I’ve always had too many responsibilities where I need my mental faculties to stick with cold turkey.
This time I took a vacation for 3 weeks to do it and I’ve gone cold Turkey. My first 2 or 3 days I suffered through severe depression, a symptom I was familiar with but was never able to get through in the past. Being familiar with that symptom and knowing it was due to withdrawal got me through it this time. Now I’m on day 7 and I’m experiencing a form of dizziness that’s akin to being drunk.
I’m exercising daily and will be traveling (no driving) so reading this article is incredibly helpful to know what to expect. My biggest concern is what lies for me at the end of the tunnel is the depression I started with 20 years ago. If it’s anything like the first 2 or 3 days of going off zoloft, it sucks. I wish everyone who is kicking this drug success.
I am in the cannabis program for chronic pain, which has been very helpful with controlling terrible back pain (especially at night). Recently, I went on Zoloft for depression, and found the drug so horribly disruptive to all my systems I discontinued after taking it for 10 days. Since I was on the drug for so short a time and the side effects while on the drug so horrible, my doctor didn’t see a terrible issue with stopping ‘cold turkey’.
Like many others I experienced the nausea, headache, dizziness, weakness, etc. of Zoloft withdrawal. Long story short I found the most profound relief from Zoloft withdrawal by taking small doses of medical cannabis throughout the day. The nausea, and other stomach problems straightened right out. I feel less dizzy.
The caveat is that only small amounts of medical cannabis spaced out through the day seem to work. You don’t want to get high, you want to feel better so you can function. Anyway, wanted to share this as I hadn’t seen similar comments about zoloft withdrawal.
Found this site and thought “I am not alone”… Have been on sertraline for 4 years 100mg and tried last year to give up but the severity of the anger attacks were scary for me and my wife. I am trying again and am on day 9 without (cold turkey) and the anger is still there but but but is more manageable because of last time. I never managed 9 days last time nor did I have the brain zaps, but part of the reason I want to give up is this…
Insulin dependent diabetic of 41 years with 6 injections per day. Celiac disease sufferer so am intolerant to gluten based products like bread. And guess what? This started 4 years ago when I sort of slipped into a depressive state having to watch even more of what I eat. I take 6 colesevelam pills per day to treat Bile acid malabsorption which is basically bad guts. I also take statins and ramipril as background pills.
It sounds like I’m a wreck but I’m not. I’m in good shape considering and the only pill I can give up is the sertraline. I’m tired a lot and my bedroom prowess is not what it was so I feel I have to rule out what I can. My head is as good as I feel it can be…lol. Thanks everyone.
I am experiencing all side effects listed but in addition can not regulate my body temperature. I’m sweating like crazy one minute followed by goosebumps and freezing cold the next. Is anyone else going through this?
Yes, I’ve experienced this too. I’m getting really bad hot flushes in the middle of the night and when I wake up too. I’m keeping an ice pack close by! Hope it gets better for you soon.
This is the best piece of research I have ever came across. I’m going to print it off just to keep in my treasure chest for my grandkids to go through perhaps, of everything that made the biggest impact in my life. Forgive me in advance, I quit cold turkey two weeks ago and may seem a little to passionate about the subject, but I too, have experienced every single symptom listed above. I took 100mg for 7 years, the same amount of time that has passed since my divorce.
My four children were 17, 16, 14 and 12. I don’t regret it and would do it again because it really did save my sanity, reasoning skills and allow me to be emotionally tough. Not to say things did not go smooth. It was hell with 2 divorces now behind me and both men skipping out of the picture. With that said, I felt justified to take the medication. I had quit having periods for no apparent medical reasons at 38 and understood zoloft’s connection in helping balance my missing cycle with added hormonal benefit…
Not accurate. I’m sure but I believed it would also help as I moved into menopause which I am in now at 52. However, I did it to make a point to society and to myself, that we are living with an epidemic our world has never seen and we have to stop the drug use. My children are now in their 20’s and I have lost count the friends they have lost along the way to drugs and how it has impacted our own family with my son. He used to tell me or years “your drug use with Zoloft messing around with your serotonin levels is no different than me messing around with mine with the various drugs I try.”
Of course he was high saying this and I just couldn’t see the connection. It took another suicide from drugs close to the family and an overdose for me to see it from his perspective but by then it is nearly too late for my son. He was arrested Thanksgiving weekend with a felony possession of meth. It completely changed my world. I really had no idea how right he was about my use with Zoloft. As a former rodeo, girl’s bull rider back in my day, I never lost the strength mentally or physically to do anything I set my mind to.
And although the symptoms are right on target I have to say, it could always be worse because every day it gets easier and I feel like I’m going to have a second chance of really knowing “me” again and all the passions I lay aside these last 7 years. I told my daughter “on Zoloft it feels like you are super levelheaded. It’s almost like you can distant yourself emotionally to what is going on in the world and look at it like a bubble looking down. When you are off Zoloft you start floating back down and you live inside the bubble again.”
Fortunately I have a memory of being straight and how wonderful it was to be drug free most of my life with only occasional experimentation in college. My fear is that the kids today who were raised in this “medicated society” could never quit as easily because they have nothing to go on in trusting that they will know their selves, or like themselves when it’s over. Which is the case for my son.
I can also relate. I was feeling great and thought I didn’t need the medication anymore. It’s only been 3 days and I’m going crazy, very forgetful and dizzy. I guess I’ll go back on them. Ugh… Will I ever be able to stop taking these meds?
ANYONE who has been on zoloft and stopped taking it and then started to experience sleep apnea and panic attacks at night…please email me… joe.oldendick[AT]gmail.com. I really need to know how long I would have to start taking it again to get rid of these attacks… The last time I stopped taking zoloft I just had brain zaps, but this time it’s been MONTHS since I took zoloft…and I have been having breathing problems and waking up at night out of breath and confused for about 3 months.
THIS MONTH it has been WORSE…I even went to a sleep study last night for sleep apnea and they couldn’t even do the testing because it was so severe and I gave up at about 2 AM. It seems like we should get together and take them to court…people should not have BRAIN ZAPS, and be afraid to sleep, and be worried that their heart is failing, just because they stop taking this sh*t.
I’ve been waking up with panic attacks, confusion and tremors. My whole body shakes! Not the nicest thing to wake up to in the middle of the night! It’s only lasted two weeks so far (I’m almost three months into withdrawal) but hoping this is just a temporary wave. I know how awful it feels and I really hope things improve for you soon Joe. Best wishes, Caro
I agree – we should definitely take them to court. These meds can help some people, but they can also temporarily destroy others. It’s so dangerous
I will NEVER in my life take another antidepressant of any kind. It took almost a year after I got off Zoloft before I even started thinking about being normal again… some people honestly do need to be on medication, as for me, never, ever, ever again.
I agree. I’ve been off just a year and a few months and no longer want or miss the zoloft. I do miss how it took the highs and lows off life, but I would rather just FEEL alive than ever go through the withdrawal again. I have newfound sympathy for drug addicts.
THANK YOU! Oh my gosh. I was not sure what was going on with me. I am coming off of a low dosage of Zoloft and Beyaz (birth control). I weaned off the Zoloft over a two week period and stopped taking the birth control pills right after completing the Zoloft weaning. They were helping me cope with PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder). All of my symptoms seem to be covered in the list you provided. I have been sobbing at insanely benign topics, TV shows, songs, etc. Not my norm.
I have also been experiencing abdominal cramps which I thought was from discontinuation of the birth control, but now I see it could also be from the Zoloft withdrawal. Headaches have been bothering me on and off for about a week. I have had some insomnia, too. For example, tonight I have been up since about 1 am. I baked French macaroons, cleaned my kitchen, mopped my floors, and then went online to find out what is going on with me.
Lastly, the mood swings and unnecessary anger. I am finding little things are making me annoyed or angered that really shouldn’t. I feel awful because it is typically focused towards my two boys (8 & 14) and my husband. They don’t deserve that. I am feeling super guilty about discontinuing these drugs, but I honestly just don’t want to take these chemicals any longer. I want to feel like me again. I hope the process continues but rapidly.
I want to be a good mom and wife. Right now I am not. :(. Thank you SO much for sharing what you’ve learned. It is not a good feeling when coming off of these medications. I am very grateful that you have been able to shed some light on this for me and many others. Much gratitude!
Been on 200 mg of Zoloft for about a year and a half, and stopped taking it by “tapering off” – first 100 per day for two weeks, then 50 mg for another two. Stopped completely over a week ago. No fun, that’s for sure. Some days I get extremely angry and volatile, other days very sad and depressed. The zaps are almost constant, although I must say they are not as powerful as when I went off Prozac, but rather more subdued.
While the Prozac zaps were like earthquakes, the Zoloft zaps are like tremors. The dizziness and nausea is extremely annoying, however, and at times incapacitating. Overall, I try to take an “what the hell” attitude towards these symptoms, and treat them as a part of my life experience. When it gets really bad, I might go out, get drunk and pass out, at other times I might just try to get as much work done as possible, despite the withdrawal problems, just to see what the results are.
One thing that is pretty awesome is that after I stopped taking zoloft I began having really incredible, vivid and even lucid dreams. Has anyone else experienced this? Anyway, I feel that the “what the f…” attitude towards the withdrawal symptoms works best for me, as I’ve always experimented with drugs, altered mind states etc., but understand that not everyone has the same kind of a mindset. Always good to hear others with similar kinds of problems, I’m happy to have found this place! Thomas
Bipolar 2 here, with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Coming up on 2 1/2 weeks cold turkey (not my idea!) from 100mg of Sertraline. My GP has moved and I am waiting for my record to be transferred. Meanwhile, I’m battling the headaches, mood swings, panic attacks, and the brain zaps. I couldn’t figure out what was going on the first time I got zapped – freaked out completely. At this point I’m wondering whether to just see this through and stay off Zoloft, since it will be at least another week before I can see my doctor. That would leave me on 1500mg Epilim and 250mg Seroquel.
Thank you, reading this has made me feel a little less crazy. I was on sertraline for 7 years. I started at 75mg and went up to 100mg. I stopped cold turkey due to my doctor not having had filled my prescription and he thought I was using the medicine as a crutch. I am angry, irritable, I cry for no reason all of the time, I just don’t feel like myself. I have never experienced something like this. It does make me feel slightly better that I’m not alone.
Was on Zoloft past 4 months – got up to 100mg. Diarrhea got a bit intense, and was shaking quite a bit. Tried to ween myself off, after a few weeks got down to 25mg. Then stopped – 4 days later – headaches, shakes, brain “zaps”, cramps…panic. Almost went to ER. Took a Xanax, ativan, and 25mg Zoloft – 4 hours later it was over. Not going to try and get off these things anytime soon…
What were the side effects forcing you to stop taking Zoloft?
I’ve been taking 150mg of Zoloft for 6 years… Decided a month ago that I don’t want to be dependent anymore. After slowly weening me down to 50mgs, I’m now off it completely, but boy are the withdrawal symptoms kicking in. I get the brain zaps whenever I move, and nerve spasms… And then I just want everyone to leave me the hell alone, I just want to curl up in a ball and read. Also I’m pretty irritable and I get the cramps too. These symptoms suck, but I don’t regret my decision.
Isn’t irritability the most pronounced sign of depression? What were your two most debilitating sertraline side-effects?
I unfortunately stopped taking sertraline while in London. I had my trolley taken from me at Putney Overground Train Station and my tablets were in it. I needed to get back home as everything was becoming surreal. I ended up in casualty having had a passer-by call an ambulance for me. I was in hospital for a while and given Depakote, which I didn’t take for very long. The sertraline was given to me while in hospital following and during a 3 month long period in critical care due to a failed hernia operation that went wrong.
I cannot remember 3 days of my life from this or most of the period while in intensive care. I have had dreadful nightmares about this period and was prescribed Promethazine hydrochloride which have been a god-send. I don’t take them all the time and my sleep patterns are now normal (well I think so) and therefore I am feeling a hundred percent better mentally. Unfortunately my body is lagging a bit behind and my abdominal wound still hasn’t healed after nearly a year. But thanks to the understanding of the mental health team I am me again – thank you Ipswich Suffolk.
My husband was on 100mg Zoloft for 5 years and went off cold turkey about three weeks ago. I think that he is experiencing most of the symptoms as described above. He has gone into a manic phase including spending big money, which we can’t afford. I know that when I stop the credit card he will be furious, which scares me as he has had quite a bad temper lately. But I have no choice. I just can’t wait for this nightmare to be over.
I agree with this post as I am currently going cold turkey. I have had almost all of the symptoms. The part that is kicking my butt the most are the brain zaps and I have also been having extreme nightmares which involve me screaming. They oddly seem to change with each zap. I’m ready to have this crap out of my system and hopefully never have to deal with it again!
Wishing you well, Megan.
Thank you for your post, I am on 200mg of zoloft, 1mg of xanax 3 times a day and 27mg of concerta (sp) I was being treated for ADHD, depression and anxiety disorder…by the way I am also a recovering alcoholic and have been sober for almost 2 years. I am very honest with my doctor. I have been on zoloft for 2 months and within a few weeks I became a monster, I have wanted to not live before but never would have done anything about it.
After 60 days I could actually visualize myself hurting myself. after speaking with my therapist, who is in recovery too, told me I needed to consider getting a new doctor who specializes in addiction. A week later I was with a new doctor that has read more than a chapter on addiction and recovery. Come to find out those meds where slowly killing me, he told me because I am sober and going to meetings I could have held on for a few more months but it would have ended up with my thoughts becoming a reality.
I am not any of those things the previous doctor had said, I am actually bipolar 2, now coming off the old meds and introducing new meds is a scary deal. I have started introducing lamictal and moved down to 150 of the zoloft and .5 xanax 3 times a day. I knew it would be a rough road but really had no idea on what I was dealing with until I read this article…thank you for taking the time to put it out there.
This is a hell of a lot more helpful than the medical care I have been getting! I have been told everything I was on and the dosages 10 years ago they would have done a medical detox, which I didn’t even experience when I got sober, but of course insurance companies won’t pay for that anymore and patients are left hanging in the unknown. Again thank you and best of luck. Adrienne
I thought I had developed a brain tumor. In Jan 2015 I started on (Sertraline) 25mg/day and have now been taking the 200/day for about six months. I ran out of meds for a few weeks but thought I would be all right. I started having 30+ dizzy spells an hour and thought I was going to pass out and fall down the stairs to the front door. These were coupled with a light electric sensation that started at the base of my skull and went up to the backs of my eyes.
I also heard a soft hiss like someone popping the tab on a can of soda. I was terrified and thought it was a brain tumor at the base of my skull that was affecting my central nervous system. I want to say a heart felt thank you for publishing this article. Now that I am back on the medication all symptoms are gone. Please note: This was just my experience and I have only shared it because it may in turn help someone else.
Everyone is different in this world and we all experience things in our own individual way, this just happened to be the way it happened with me. Keep smiling and have a lovely day today.
I had been on Zoloft since 8th grade. I am now 23 years old and decided I did not want to be on it anymore about a year ago. I talked to my doctor and she lowered my dose from 100mg to 50mg. I had brain shivers for about a week and then was fine. I was on 50mg for about 6 months before we lowered the dose down to 25mg. I didn’t notice anything that time. About 2 months ago I decided to split the 25mg in half.
I did this until I ran out. I took my last half about a week ago. It took about 3 days for me to notice anything. First the brain shivers came. I noticed too I was very tired. After about 5 days the nausea set in. I ended up having to leave work because I got sick and was extremely dizzy. Needless to say, this first week has been horrible. I hope these flu like symptoms go away quickly. Does anyone have any advice?
Why were you on Zoloft for so long? What were two most debilitating side effects of Zoloft that you noticed?
I’m starting to taper off of Zoloft and I’m still feeling the effects. Is this what hell is?
Thank you so much for such a well written and researched article. I am in the process of coming off of a 5 year dose of 100 mg a day. Although I wanted to stop taking it, I didn’t have the luxury of tapering down due to lack of insurance and apparently I make too much money for any free or discounted help. I feel like I have experienced EVERY symptom listed but the fatigue, brain zaps and irritability have been severe. I just got to tough through it, but I can honestly say it REALLY SUCKS!
I recently stopped taking 50mg of Zoloft after only a few months. I began taking it to counter pretty severe withdrawals from high-potency cannabis that I’d been using for years to self-medicate an undiagnosed anxiety disorder. My doctor recently upped my dosage and I opted to stop taking it in favor of a daily exercise regimen, heavy on cardio and sweat. I must admit, it battles my depression on several fronts. It may not be for everyone, because some people don’t like to exercise.
But I feel that I get back everything that I put into my runs – You get out of it what you put into it. I often use my internal pain as a motivational tool, drawing on the hurt while charging slowly across difficult terrain. It’s helping a lot. Every day, I become physically stronger and leaner and my thoughts have begun to mirror my physical self. I have also begun to teach myself to play the guitar, which also gives me a deep sense of personal satisfaction and well-being by learning and improving at something on my own.
Again, this may not be for everyone. But challenging myself in ways I had never before explored has proven extremely effective against the sadness I’ve been lugging around since childhood like a pack full of sharp rocks. Hang in there, everyone.
I decided to go off Sertraline cold turkey about a month and a half ago. I was on 25MG for about a year and 50MG for three years. I was having pain in my joints and thought Sertraline was the cause, so I cut it cold turkey. It ends up Carpel Tunnel – pretty sure. A couple weeks went by, maybe three and I felt ok. Maybe I was under stress at work or I was feeling some of the withdrawal, so I decided to go back on my meds 50MG sertraline.
After 3-4 days after starting again – I began the “what the f*ck is going on with me”. I thought I had MS (shakes, weak, etc.) and had MRI of my spine and brain. Everything turned out fine. Can you experience withdrawal while getting back on sertriline or I’m have a bad reaction to starting so high to 50 MG? All I can tell you is the past three and a half weeks have been hell.
I dropped my dosage to 25MG every day to 25MG one day and 12.5 the next. I’m not as tired, but I want to get off this stuff. I’ll deal with what I was feeling before I was on it.
What were the two most debilitating side effects of sertraline you experienced?
I’m so very glad to see these posts! I have taken Zoloft for 4 months. 50mg for first week then 100mg. It was for severe depression. I have wanted to stop taking it for the last two months due to the weight gain. I tried to stop cold turkey and got extremely ill, I thought it was due to a bladder infection medication at the time. I started taking it again within a couple of days of stopping due to my husbands constant worrying about stopping a drug without tapering off.
The beginning of this month (October) I decided to try to taper off..I went from the 100mg to 50mg for two weeks then I completely stopped. I figured it was safe. I had no idea about any of this withdrawal info. It has been a week since I stopped and now I have severe dizziness, stomach cramps, night sweats and headaches. I thought maybe I have the flu, but something kept telling me to research this.
I haven’t felt like “myself” ever since I started tapering off. I thought this whole month I just was fighting off some sort of illness. After reading these posts, everything makes more sense! I’m going to have to start Zoloft again and taper off even slower. I’m going to start at the 50mg though and not the 100mg. I own a business and can not afford to lay down all day (major dizzy spells, like the spins from being drunk) so not taking it at all doesn’t seem like an option for me right now.
One thing I do know, I have to get off this drug.
Why do you have to get off this drug? What were the two most debilitating side effects that you experienced?
My prescription ran out two weeks ago and I’m out in the country so I hadn’t had a chance to go into the Doctor to get another one. I have been taking 200mg for the last year and 150mg before that, all up over three and a half years I went from 50mg prescribed for Postnatal depression and post traumatic stress disorder to 200mg currently. I haven’t taken any for two weeks.
I know full well that this is a terrible way to stop taking this medication, from not only the doctors warnings but also seeing my family members go through withdrawals over the years. Depression, anxiety, OCD and Bipolar disorder seem to run in my family. However, I felt amazing and energized for the first couple of days. Somehow clear that this was (no pun intended) all in my mind. So I just decided to not get another prescription. Then; without really noticing everything started falling to pieces.
I was short with people, easily irritated and then just plain mean. I couldn’t be bothered eating or cleaning. Everything seemed like such an enormous effort. I have been incredibly empathetic to my favorite fictional characters on TV, completely feeling their pain and yet have no patience or sensitivity toward my Husband or children at all. I find them literally unbearable at times. Then I got a cold. Well, I thought it was a cold. Everything hurt, I was tired, headaches, sore throat, my muscles ached and I couldn’t contain my emotions.
I went from curling up in a ball crying to dancing in the kitchen with my kids all within an hour. I started making fabulous meals and then looking at my plate in utter disgust. I told my husband he was stupid, to leave me alone and basically threatened the entire household if they didn’t shut up and get out of my face. Then today, I decided I must have Gastro. I threw up for two hours while sobbing next to the toilet. I am so dizzy I cannot drive, I feel like I move my head and the world follows after a few seconds.
I woke up drenched with sweat and freezing cold feeling like I was struggling to breathe. I had nightmares. I have also scratched my face and arms to bleeding point. My lips are cracked and broken and I’m scared to go outside. I knew this was a terrible way to stop taking these drugs but now that I have I’m not sure what to do. I’m scared that I’ll completely loose it if this goes on for months and months but I’m upset that I might need to take them again so I can taper off. It’s like if I’ve gone through this for two weeks now, it seems like a waste of time if I just start taking them again…
I know EXACTLY the terrible feelings associated with these withdrawals. I’m on day 10 off of this drug and didn’t think I could go on. But I read somewhere turmeric tea will help the brain. And I’ve been drinking it for 3 days. And I can honestly say it is working. I’m feeling better. Boil a cup of water, add 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, (try to use organic) steep it, and drink it. Add honey if you can’t take the taste. It was awful at first, but now I like it.
When will the irritability end! Almost 4 months out and having a hard time with anger management still. Never used to be a “bitchy” person before all this… Definitely am one now… I hear my words and think, you sound awful, but still can’t seem to control my short remarks and criticisms. Totally miserable. How much longer? I can barely take it myself/ my husband has the patience of Job… My kids don’t deserve a mom like this. I feel like I am acting nice even when inside I am raging about whatever. So can’t control this well. Could use some thoughts on how to control the rage inside?
I have been on 50mg for 16 years and quit cold turkey about two weeks ago. I didn’t know I needed to taper off… should have read the instructions. Between the cyclobenzaprine, statins and the sertraline I was taking, I was beginning to feel like I had alzheimers. I couldn’t think or remember anything and was bouncing between euphoria, rage and grief on a daily basis.
When my doctor prescribed another cholesterol medication I said ENOUGH. I have stopped all of my medication except for a low dose Ace Inhibitor for my high blood pressure. (Which as I continue to get healthier, I will also stop taking). I have not experienced the brain zaps, but I do have that weird drunk feeling on and off, I itch like I have ants under my skin and my emotions are sitting very close to the surface.
I am doing a few things that are really helping. I am meditating twice a day for 20 minutes, getting some serious exercise – mostly going to the gym, gardening outside, mulching the yard, pulling weeds and walking on the beach. I have also changed my diet – I am eating healthy fats, lots of vegetables and extremely little processed food. I am also hydrating with green juices, water and herbal tea.
When my emotions begin to surface, I just let them come. If I need to cry, I do. If I am angry, I write what I am feeling in a journal. If I start to feel out of control, I remind myself that this is withdrawal and it is temporary. I am very grateful that I took the Zoloft all those years ago when I was so depressed. However over the years I have become a slave to the pharmaceutical industry.
I realized it is time for me to take responsibility for my own health. By eating whole natural foods, getting time outside, keeping myself hydrated, exercising, spending time with friends and family and being mindful I am sure that in a year from now, I will be a much healthier happier woman. I wish everyone the best on their journey to true health and happiness.
My 15 year old son has been on Zoloft for 1 year and couple months. At first he seemed better but in the last 4 months he gets dizzy 24/7, restless, appetite is nil, argumentative, somewhat hyper, when he finally falls asleep I cannot wake him up, he sleeps half the day but I think it’s the brains way of heeling too. Needless to say he’s not in school right now. I have spoke to his doctor about this as I believe my son is having reaction of some kind, from the Zoloft.
His doctor doesn’t agree. I am fed up, I feel so bad for my son. We have decided to stop cold turkey. If he is going to have the same withdrawal symtoms as he has taking them, I believe he is better to go off them. Maybe the dynamics have changed in his brain and he doesn’t need these meds anymore. I would like to see who he really is, after getting this crap out of his system. He just wants to be able to wake up and feel like a normal person. I feel like I have failed him.
Finding support for this issue is so hard. I am so happy I found this site. All doctors seem to care about is money money money. Take these pills and see me in a month. I will think twice before ever putting my son on these kinds of meds again.
What were your son’s initial symptoms, before Zoloft?
I was on 300mg for 3 years. It’s been a month since an unintentional cold turkey quit (due to my health insurance running out during a job change). “The benefits outweigh the risk” is why I was on 100mg over the FDA approved limit. I’ve always had a high tolerance to medications, and it did right by my depression.
I’ve been nothing short of a monster since about a week after I quit. This post has helped soothe me, and help me realize/remind me that I’m NOT going insane.
Anyway, thank you for the honest article.
Oh my gosh this is terrible reading all these comments. I have always gotten brain zaps BADLY even when I miss only one day of my medicine from just being irresponsible and forgetting. I have misplaced my medicine (I’m so irresponsible….) 4 days ago and have not went to get more due to money restraints. I thought maybe I should just go ahead and quit – I have been good enough for about a year with little depression- right?
Well now I’m not so sure! I have had TERRIBLE brain zaps and feeling “drunk” for days now and this could last MONTHS? Even a year?? On top of it starting about my second day off of it I felt really down and depressed- I even stayed in bed for 18 hours one day cause I just felt sad and pointless. This medicine is apparently really scary- I guess I don’t want to see what it does to me beyond just a few days of being off of it!
Two questions for y’all:
1. Did anyone else gain weight when they started this medicine? I started 100mg almost two years ago with some weeks taking 200mg when I start not thinking straight. I have never had a problem with my weight but I have gained about 50lbs over that time and I always suspected a lot of it had to do with the medicine? I’m 21 and started in a healthy weight and am now just over the overweight mark on my BMI. Also- if I did quit- do you think I would gain or lose weight?
2. Anyone know of it being actually dangerous to quit? Like- should I worry about seizures or something, or is that something I shouldn’t worry about? Thanks!!
Yep, I gained 30 pounds seemingly overnight, and it is quite a common experience.
Hi Meghan, yes I gained a lot of weight on Zoloft. When I first started taking it I was 66kg, I soon shot up to 104kg! I also had never had a problem with my weight so to put on 38kg in no time was pretty unsettling.
It’s a doubled edged sword, I started taking Zoloft to treat anxiety and depression and it was ok for that I suppose, but to put on 38kg and feel obese for the first time in my life. That alone leaves me feeling anxious and depressed.
I have been taking 150mg of Zoloft for about 3 years. Two years prior I was taking 100 and 50mg. I decided to come off them 13 days ago. Cold turkey. Initially it was fine. But I am beginning to regret my decision. Dizziness and nausea are creeping in and joint spasms are happening. Along with definite raised anxiety and cognitive issues. So do I go back to 150mg immediately? I don’t know what to do.
Shaun I personally would go back to the 150mg and stay on that until you stable off. After that, when you feel ready maybe you can try going from 150mg to 125 or 100mg. Taper off slowly and stay positive. Last year I was on 5 different depression medications. I don’t respond to the medication so I am going med free. I have plenty of friends who have or are still using depression medication and it works for them great. For whatever reason you are going off your medication do it carefully and slowly. I hope this helps. I just live one step at a time. Sometimes looking too far down the road can make a person trip.
I am down from 200mg of zoloft to 150mg. I have been on so many antidepressants in the last several years that I cannot remember all of them. Right now I feel very detached from myself. No will to do anything, even hygiene. Eventually, perhaps I will get better.
I am happy to see that most of the people here don’t identify themselves with their brains. We are beyond our brains and this is why by reading this informative article and the comments, people who are on the phase of withdrawal realize that instead of letting their brain use them, they have to use their brain for the sake of well-being and a healthy life.
Simply step back and observe the symptoms with the deep realization that all you are experiencing on this phase are games of your minds and brains. You are beyond your minds. So don’t get caught by them. Watch the symptoms, be patient and compassionate to them, don’t identify yourself with them and accept them. As soon as you give power to your mind, as soon as you are scared by them, the symptoms will intensify.
Embracing the symptoms, however, will absorb their power as well as the power of the mind chattering that you are never going to get rid of this situation. I am a mindfulness-based cognitive behavior therapist and am pretty sure that the above strategy perfectly works. Good luck buddies!
Excellent post, thank you!
Hi all, I am also in the process of getting off Zoloft. I myself am 22 and have been on 50mg for a year, much less a dose/time than a lot of the comments here. However I too have been experiencing the brain zaps and extreme dizziness. I did not quit cold turkey, simply reduced my dose to half daily and was going fine for a few weeks (3 weeks symptom free) until suddenly one day I had the worst sensations in my head (the zaps) and am now dizzy frequently throughout the day. I’m assuming my body has got rid of the heightened existing levels and began to freak out wanting more… It’s scary to think what the symptoms must be like for those of you coming off a much higher dose! Hopefully we all get over these symptoms soon and can move on with our lives! ZOLOFT FREE!!
I am currently on day 5 of cold turkeying Zoloft and I must say, what a bloody nightmare. I’ve been getting a tremendous amount of brain zaps, along with lack of appetite and sleepiness… It is really frustrating, although I feel I’ll be better off without the damn drug.
I’m coming off Zoloft after tapering the drug from 100mg to 50mg then to 25mg. It has taken about 2months. This is my 4th attempt. I’m now off Zoloft. Unfortunately, the side affects are killer. Hell on earth. Dizziness, nausea, headaches, brain zaps (if you will), memory problems, confusion, intense anger. I’m even experiencing hallucinations!
I wake my husband up frequently because I’m looking for a spider I saw crawling across my covers. I wake up and realize its a nightmare. The anger and shirt temper is scaring me. I do have suicidal thoughts occasionally. I’m trying to keep myself focused knowing this too shall pass. I pray it does quickly.
Hi all, so good to find this site. I’ve been on Zoloft (average 100mg) for about three years but I’m in Australia where Zoloft has been unavailable since May. (Not sure if this is a global issue?) So I was changing meds on a month to month basis – having to take whatever the chemist decided was a comparable generic (I don’t believe generics are the same at all but that’s another post).
Anyway, I’d been happy enough on Zoloft, despite gaining 30 lbs and all the other side effects I hadn’t realized I had, but the side effects from the generics were driving me mad. In my last phone call to Pfizer they said they think Zoloft may be back in January, although others have been told May or June 2016. So I figured it might be a good time to get off altogether. Weaned off over a few weeks, and now feeling great.
Brain zaps are pretty constant but not too upsetting, I’m no longer craving alcohol and have got a good sense of purpose about diet and exercise that I didn’t have on the drugs. I’m waking up in the night with heart palpitations (anyone else?) but despite all this I’m generally feeling great. It’s so good to be back! I know that depression is just a part of my life and I am working hard using basic CBT techniques to make sure I don’t fall into the wallowing trap.
Also trying to take a deep breath when I want to yell at someone – which hasn’t happened too much yet, and embracing the tearies when they hit and just letting them go through till they pass. Hoping to lose some weight, have given up the alcohol with ease, and just so happy to be finally free of the tyranny of the pills. I don’t for a second think it will all be easy but having found this site and knowing I’m not alone is a big help.
Good luck everyone – see you on the other side – living life in all its richness and free of medical sedation. P.S. Is hyper-joy a withdrawal effect?
All the withdrawal symptoms described here are what I experience on a daily basis being on 200mg of Zoloft. If these are the symptoms experienced while the medication is INSIDE my body, what will I experience when I go off of it? I’ve been on several antidepressants through out my life and not one has actually been a relief to my depression and anxiety. Maybe the conspiracy people are right “big pharma” just wants our business and could care less about our health.
My 15 year old son also has had terrible symtoms while on Zoloft. His doctor didn’t agree but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. I said to his doctor what if things have changed in his brain and it no longer requires the medication? She didn’t have any answer. For the first several months it was fine and then everything changed. He couldn’t go to school. So now we have decided to go off completely and it’s not been easy. I have a post on October 26/15 about this. Have you gone off Zoloft yet?
I was on 100mg of Zoloft for 9 years before I started to taper off. I felt that it had served its purpose and I was no longer in need of it. I dropped to 75mg at the beginning of last year. I had severe physical withdrawal symptoms which lasted for about 2-3 weeks: Headaches, nausea, cramps, sweats, brain zaps, dizziness, the list goes on. Then came the anger.
Even small things would set me off and people were confused as to why I was getting so angry over nothing. That lasted a few months and was unpredictable. Eventually it went away and I stabilized. Then I dropped my dose to 50mg at the beginning of this year. Once again I had weeks of physical withdrawal symptoms, which lasted longer than when I did my initial dose reduction. They went away as expected but, unfortunately, the anger, anxiety, and fatigue hasn’t.
It seemed to disappear for a few months but then it came back. It’s now 9 months after my drop to 50mg and I still feel like shit, despite the nice weather and the general improvements in my life: diet, sleep, exercise. I’m at the point where I don’t know if I should go back up to 75mg or persevere with getting off this drug. I just want to be normal again.
What were the two most debilitating side effects of Zoloft, based on your experience?